British men's No 1 Cameron Norrie will start his US Open campaign against Alexander Shevchenko - live on Sky Sports Tennis - from around 5.15pm. Norrie is one of six Brits in action on day two of the final Grand Slam of the year in New York
Tuesday 29 August 2023 19:31, UK
Cameron Norrie has just celebrated his 28th birthday in New York ahead of his US Open campaign getting under way – but the Brit still feels he's "near the beginning" of his career.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Norrie revealed how his different pathway into the sport means he may have much more left in the tank than the mere number itself may suggest to those on the outside.
Instead of pathways of excellence and a passage through the junior ranks, Norrie elected to recalibrate in his late teens - electing to forego the pressures of intense competition for a while, to instead attend college in the United States to afford him more time to understand himself, and life itself, before turning professional.
"I went to college in the States, and took that route and just gave [myself] a bit more chance to mature and really grow physically and mentally just really hit the ground running when I turned pro after university," said Norrie, who starts his US Open against Alexander Shevchenko later on Tuesday.
"I took that route and it was actually really good for me, I was able to keep [myself] really fresh, and was able to really live like a more normal life of going to university and enjoying [life] with my friends, practicing with my friends, doing fitness, winning matches, playing matches with them. I was able to go into playing pro being really fresh and just taking it day by day and staying pretty humble.
"I think I was a bit more mature to really take on this life because it's a really unique one where you're travelling a lot, and you're not really home too often. There's a lot of highs and lows that you have to deal with, which can be quite difficult, I think, if you're 18-19 years old. I was 22-23, and I think I dealt with it a bit better than I would have done when I was 18. I think I would have had no chance."
Norrie topped the NCAA college standings during his time in the US before turning professional but believes his story is "relatable" because, by his own word, he's not a prodigious talent who was destined for the top. Instead, he's someone who made a wise decision in his late teens – namely to attend Texas Christian University from 2014 to 2017 – one which has given him a chance to be a top 10 player in the world and winner on the ATP Tour, who is also capable of competing in the latter stags of Grand Slams.
"My last year of juniors, when I was 17-18, I was pretty stressed because I was [thinking] 'I want to make it, I want to do it now' and some of the guys that were the top of juniors at that point, were starting to do well," said Norrie. "I was [thinking], 'Oh, it's not happening for me', I was really pushing it and pushing and it was not really getting anything back.
"I was not really enjoying the practices and everything and just took a took a step back. And I [thought], 'Look, I need to chill and go back to the drawing board. I think I want to do something a bit more normal, like go to school and still play' and I think it was a good opportunity to meet some really cool people and some really good connections.
"Obviously my coach (Facundo Lugones), I went to school with him at TCU and I've still been working with him since then. So it's a really cool story. And for me, it didn't mean that I wanted to quit or stop playing, it was just part of my journey and I was able to get physically better, stronger and my tennis improved so much."
Norrie and coach Lugones were team-mates on TCU's Horned Frogs team on the US college tennis circuit and the Argentine and the Brit struck up a fantastic friendship which endures to this day, and is unlike that of most player-coach relationships on the circuit.
So far, the pressures of elite competition have not placed the pair's bond in any jeopardy and Norrie does not expect that to change.
In terms of how their relationship has developed over the past decade, Norrie said: "It's a bit different than when I was at college with him. I think we were enjoying ourselves a bit more and I think we had to draw the line a little bit once I turned pro. I think he did a really good job of that, keeping it professional.
"I think we have a really good relationship, it's tough because we're spending so much time together. Week-in, week-out we're going to dinners almost every other night together and we're on tour so we'll be able to keep it fresh.
"He's still one of my best friends and I think it helps that I can trust him with everything. I'm honest with him, he's honest with me and and we keep it the business aside and once we're done talking about tennis, and we have some tougher conversations, we go back and enjoy being friends again. So it's a unique one."
It is indeed unique, in the same way that Norrie's own journey – as a Johannesburg-born repatriated New Zealander, representing Great Britain through the bloodline of his Scottish father and Welsh mother – is.
Up to now, the British men's No 1 is confident that his major career choices so far have been for the best but there is no precise way to do things which guarantees success, of course, and glory can come at all ages and stages.
"I think that, for me, it's just still beginning," said Norrie. "I think I'm still learning and I think, in terms of the way I'm playing, if you watch me, four years ago, three years ago, I was just very passive on the court.
"I was able to improve my forehand a lot and being able to dictate with my forehand has been a massive thing for me and just making guys uncomfortable. I'm not a guy who's going to come out and completely whack you off the court all the time, I'm going to take you to a place where you're not so comfortable and hitting the ball in awkward parts of the court.
"I think being a bit more proactive and I think just learning from the tough losses that I've had – I've had a lot of bad losses as well – [has been important]. Like I said, I'm still learning and I think this is still kind of towards the beginning of my career."
One thing which should stand Norrie's chances of enjoying success in the remainder of that career is his complete love and dedication to the game – particularly on the practice court.
"I think when you're lifting [trophies] you almost don't even get the chance to enjoy it," Norrie said. "It's nice to show that the hard work is paying off and everything, and then you're on to the next thing. Obviously, it's important to enjoy those moments and I definitely have enjoyed those moments - but honestly, I really liked the pre-seasons and having that the team around and showing that we're taking care of everything is pretty satisfying for me.
"All the success of of winning a couple of big tournaments, going deep in Wimbledon and all that was really crazy, but I think if you look back, I really enjoyed the pre-seasons that I've been been doing, you know, with my team. They're pushing me so hard on the court and testing with a lot of different things and I really enjoy that feeling at the end of that day when you bank a good day. The practice and then obviously the feeling of putting it [together] and getting it done on the match court and having that success. But I really enjoyed the work."
Now the route Norrie will be hoping to plot, will be one which takes him to the latter stages of the tournament that former world No 1 and compatriot Andy Murray won 11 years ago to break his Grand Slam duck.
The final major of the year is very different to the other three and Norrie, who has plenty of friends in New York and knows the culture of the city well, enjoys the different atmosphere you get at Arthur Ashe Stadium and throughout Flushing Meadows.
The Brit will be hoping to improve on last year, when he reached the fourth round before falling to an impressive Andrey Rublev.
"I'm really excited for the US Open. I think it's probably my best kind of surface and I'm most comfortable here in New York," said Norrie.
"It's a good atmosphere and pretty chaotic, pretty crazy in terms of people yelling out and people really getting into matches. I also like the craziness of the crazy people. Actually we took the subway to practice the other day just to get a taste of it and it just puts you in a good perspective.
"They love their tennis here. It's always pretty humid and sweaty. So, it's one I would say one of my favourite Grand Slams in terms of the surface and feeling really comfortable on it.
"I love New York and I've always done well here in the past. So I'm looking to go again."
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